Berks man jailed for fatal West Pottsgrove crash

COURTHOUSE — A Reading man appeared somber as he admitted to recklessly speeding and driving while drunk in connection with a violent April crash that claimed the life of his passenger and friend on Route 422 in West Pottsgrove.

Marco Cuevas Mora, 22, of the 1200 block of North Ninth Street, was sentenced Tuesday in Montgomery County Court to 2-to-6 years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to charges of homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with the 12:19 a.m. April 22 one-vehicle crash that occurred on westbound Route 422 between the Route 100 overpass and Grosstown Road.

Killed in the crash was 19-year-old Armando Mora-Lemus, also of Reading, who was a passenger in Mora’s 2000 Volkswagen Jetta.

“This is sad example of driving while under the influence that led to the death of a very close friend at your hands,” Judge Steven T. O’Neill addressed Mora, who bowed his head. “I recognize that you will forever live with that pain.

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“The question is what will you do with your life from here on out,” added O’Neill, saying Mora can either rise to do good things or “can sink lower and go down.

“That is exactly up to you. Your future is in your hands.”

Mora, a citizen of Mexico, spoke and listened with the aid of an interpreter. Mora, once he is paroled from prison, could face deportation proceedings by U.S. Immigration officials, testimony revealed.

“Any case where you’re dealing with someone causing the death of another person, state prison is appropriate,” said Assistant District Attorney John Walko. “Drinking and driving is always dangerous. When you drink and drive and then choose to go upwards of 79 miles per hour in a vehicle with two passengers, it takes the definition of dangerous to a whole new level.”

According to authorities, Mora had been driving the Volkswagen west when he lost control of the speeding car. The car smashed into a guard rail, went airborne, “flipped end over end” and made contact with several tree tops before striking the ground, police said. The car continued to roll for another 85 feet before striking a few more trees and coming to rest in a ditch, according to the criminal complaint filed by county Detective Robert Turner and West Pottsgrove Police Officer Brian Cass.

Mora-Lemus, who was riding in the front passenger seat, was ejected through the broken sunroof of the car and was declared dead at the scene. Mora and a rear seat passenger were injured and treated at Reading Hospital.

Mora and Mora-Lemus were not related but were “very close friends,” according to his lawyer, Allan L. Sodomsky. Mora-Lemus was “loved and adored” by Mora’s family, Sodomsky said.

“It’s terrible. You have two very dear friends, one believes he’s more sober than the other, so he takes the keys, tries to drive home, gets involved in an accident and now one of them is not here,” Sodomsky said after the hearing. “My client is horrified at his actions and he is so remorseful and genuinely, to his core, very, very sorry that his friend will not be able to experience the rest of his life with him.”

Sodomsky said Mora, who was supported in court by several relatives, understands he likely will be deported after he serves the sentence.

“We have discussed that at great length and that pales in comparison to his sadness over not being able experience life with his friend anymore,” Sodomsky said.

The sentence was part of a plea agreement accepted by O’Neill. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed not to seek a mandatory three-year prison sentence on the more serious charge of homicide by vehicle while DUI.

Walko explained to the judge that the victim’s family previously told detectives that they had no desire for a more significant punishment against Mora and supported a plea arrangement.

Specifically, by pleading guilty, Mora admitted that he unlawfully and unintentionally caused the death of Mora-Lemus while violating motor vehicle laws, specifically speeding, and that the violation caused the death.

Mora’s vehicle, authorities alleged, was traveling about 79 mph in an area with a posted speed limit of 55 mph at the time of the crash.

With the DUI charge, authorities alleged Mora also had a blood-alcohol content of 0.109 percent, which is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Police detected an odor of alcohol on Mora’s breath and noted that he appeared impaired at the scene. Mora allegedly told police “he had enough of the U.S.A. and was going back to Mexico,” according to court documents.

When he was interviewed by police, Mora claimed the trio had been coming from a party at nearby Academy Hall and that he drank two beers and four shots of brandy, according to court documents.

Mora claimed the passenger side, front tire “blew out” and caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

Investigators said an examination of the vehicle determined there were no mechanical failures or defects that would have contributed to the crash. Mora, authorities alleged, operated the vehicle in a reckless and careless manner which rendered him incapable of safely operating the vehicle.